Indenting tool



Nov'. 5, 1963 J. D. ANDERSON 3,109,333

INDENTING TOOL Filed March 21. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

INDENTING TOOL 3 Sheets-sheaf. 2

Filed March 21, 1960 FIG.6

FIG.9

FIG. 8

INVENTOR.

Nov. 5, 1963 J. D. ANDERSON INDENTING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1960 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,109,333 INDENTING TOOL James D. Anderson, Norwalk, Conn, assignor to Bnrndy Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 28,507 7 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) This invention relates to a die set tool, and more particularly to a multi-indent tool for electrical connectors.

indenting tools for electrical connectors are well known. Various types of indents have been utilized, e.g., a full circumferential indent, a single indent, opposed indents, and multiple indents. A full circumferential indent is difficult to accomplish; generally the result is an oval cross-section rather than a circle, and there is little keying of the connector to the conductor. A single indent requires a very deep indent to secure the connector to the conductor, and results in a gross distortion of the connector cross-section. Opposed indents permit the use of a medium depth indent, but again distort the connector. Multiple indents produce the most desirable result of permitting indents of minimum depth and minimum distortion of the connector.

To maximize the advantages of multiple indents, it is necessary that the connector at all times be centered between the indentors, and that all indentors apply uniform pressure to the connector, thus producing a symmetrical cross-section in the connector.

The prior multiple indent tools did not always accomplish this result. Corrosion or foreign particles in the tool would interfere with the symmetry of the indenting process. Also, if the connector did not offer uniform resistance to indenting around its entire periphery, a nonsymmetrical indent would result.

An object, therefore, of this invention is to provide an indenting tool wherein the connector is at all times disposed equally between the upper and lower dies.

Another object is to provide an indenting tool wherein the connector is at all times disposed equally between the indentors.

A further object is to provide an indenting tool wherein the indentors apply equal pressure to the connector.

A still further object is to provide an indenting tool wherein the rate of travel of the indentors may be strictly controlled.

A feature of this invention is an indenting tool comprising a frame, a ram, and a die holder assembly which is adapted to position itself equally between said frame and ram at all times.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of the closed tool partly broken away embodying the principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1 in the partially opened position;

FIG. 3 is a section of FIG. 1 taken at line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a partial front View partly in section of the tool of FIG. 1, illustrating the head in its open position;

FIG. 5 is a partial front view partly in section of the tool of FIG. 1, illustrating the head in its closed position;

FIG. 6 is a rear View of the die assembly used in the tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the die assembly of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the die assembly of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a section of FIG. 8 taken along line 99; and

FIG. 10 is a section of FIG. 1 taken along line 10-10.

As may be seen in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, the tool includes a frame 1, including a pair of side plates 1a and 1b having a fixed handle 2 secured thereto. Slidable in the 3,1fl 933-3 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 ice frame is a ram 3, which may be formed by upper and lower portion 3a, 3b, respectively which may be pinned together. The ram 3 and frame 1 provide a die assembly receiving recess therebetween. A movable handle 4 is provided to a slot 3c in the ram 3 by a pin 5 and to a parallel pair of toggles 6 by a pin 7a. The handle 4 is biased towards its open position by a spring (not shown). Mounted on a pin 7b is a ratchet 8 which co- 1 operates in a known manner .with ratchet teeth 9 on the its ram-rack 12 is moved a given distance towards the head of the frame 1 and its frame rack 10, the pinions 15 move in the same direction through one-half the given distance. Similarly, when the ram 3 moves away from the frame head 1, the pinion 15 follows at one-half the rate.

A die assembly carrier 16 is coupled to the pinions 15 by means of studs 17 formed on the pinions 15 and C springs 18. A cup 19, adapted to receive an inserted connector (not shown) and act as a depth stop therefor, is mounted to the carrier 16. The carrier 16 follows the movements of the pinions 15 with respect to the ram 3 and frame 1.

As is seen in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, a removable die assembly includes a die body 20 having a transverse bore- 21 to accommodate a connector (not shown) inserted therein, and a plurality of radial cut-outs 22 to accom modate the indentors disposed therein. Each cut-out accommodates a wire indentor 23 and a shroud indentor 24. The indentors may be of rectangular cross-section, and may, if desired, be integral with each other. A pair of leaf springs 25 are mounted on the die body, as by screws 26. Each indentor is provided with a groove to receive a portion of an end of a leaf spring 25. The spring 25 biases the indentors away from the connector bore 21. A cover plate 27 is secured, as by screws 28, to the die body 20 and serves to cover the die assembly receiving recess in the tool when the die assembly is installed in the tool. Suitable means, such as threaded holes 29 and screws 30 are provided to secure the die assembly to the die assembly carrier 16.

The die assembly is secured to the tool by screws 30 fixing the die body 29 to the carrier 16. The sets of in- Y dentors, each including an indentor 23 and 24, which are biased outwardly by leaf springs 25, abut cam surfaces 31 and 32 formed on the ram 3 and frame 1 respectively, as seen In FIG. 4. When the ram is moved from the open positlon shown in FIG. 4 to the closed position shown in FIG. 5, the cam surfaces 31 and 32 force their associated indentor sets each including an indentor 23 and 24 into the die body 20. The indentors enter the connector receiving bore 21, and indent the connector (not shown).

Under normal circumstances, including the absence of foreign particles in the die assembly and tool generally, the indentors should close symmetrically, producing a symmetrical crimp. However, to ensure that the die body is at all times equally spaced between the frame and ram, the rack and pinion arrangement described above has been provided. The pinions 1 5 always travel one-half the distance undergone by the ram 3 with respect to the frame 1. The carrier 16 is directly coupled to the pinions 15 and the die body 20 is fixedly secured to the carrier 16. When the tool is in the open posit-ion the die body 20 is centered with respect to the ram and frame cam surfaces 31 and 32. As the tool is closed, the ram approaching the head of the frame, the racks and pinions will at all times maintain the die body 20 in the desired centered relationship. Thus, a symmetrical indentation must uniformly result.

I have thus described my invent-ion, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, 1 claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

1. A tool for compressing an article, comprising: a frame having a force applying surface; a ram having a form applying surface disposed in opposition to said frame force applying surface, said ram being disposed for movement relative to said frame along a given axis; actuating means operable to move said ram force applying surface toward said frame force applying surface; article carrier means movable relative to said frame parallel to said :given axis, and adapted to position an article between the ram force applying surface and the EErame force applying surface; and mechanical linkage means interconnecting said frame, ram, and carrier means to move said article carrier in response to movement of said ram, in the same direction as the ram and at a rate bearing a given relation to the rate at which the ram is moved.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said mechanical linkage means is adapted to move said article carrier means at one-half the rate at which said ram is moved, so as to maintain a carried article equidistant between said ram force app-lying surface and said frame force applying surface.

4. A tool according to claim 1 further including a die block mounted to said article carrier having an article receiving bore therein and a plurality of substantially radially disposed apertures extending from said bore; a plurality of indentors movably disposed in said apertures, each having an externally disposed end portion adapted to engage one of said force applying surfaces to move the indentor into said article receiving bore for indenting an article therein.

5. A tool according to claim 4 wherein said indentors are resiliently biased against movement into said article receiving bore.

6. A tool according to claim 5 wherein each said indentor is biased by means of a leaf spring.

7. A tool according to claim 6 wherein each said leaf I spring biases a plurality of said indentors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Douglas -QMay 2a, 1935 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N00 3, 109,333 November 5, 1963 James D, Anderson t error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified tha d Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and that the sai corrected below.

Column 2 line 5 for "provided" read pivoted Signed and sealed this 28th day of April 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A TOOL FOR COMPRESSING AN ARTICLE, COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING A FORCE APPLYING SURFACE; A RAM HAVING A FORCE APPLYING SURFACE DISPOSED IN OPPOSITION TO SAID FRAME FORCE APPLYING SURFACE, SAID RAM BEING DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME ALONG A GIVEN AXIS; ACTUATING MEANS OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID RAM FORCE APPLYING SURFACE TOWARD SAID FRAME FORCE APPLYING SURFACE; ARTICLE CARRIER MEANS MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME PARALLEL TO SAID GIVEN AXIS, AND ADAPTED TO POSITION AN ARTICLE BETWEEN THE RAM FORCE APPLYING SURFACE AND THE FRAME FORCE APPLYING SURFACE; AND MECHANICAL LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRAME, RAM, AND CARRIER MEANS TO MOVE SAID ARTICLE CARRIER IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM, IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE RAM AND AT A RATE BEARING A GIVEN RELATION TO THE RATE AT WHICH THE RAM IS MOVED. 